old church-yard was to be preserved, but the parishioners were allowed to enclose another adjoining to the new church.

This structure continued till 1741, when it was found necessary to take it down, on account of its ruinous state; when the present diminutive building was constructed on the same site. It is a small oblong square, and has a gallery on the north, south, and west sides. It is disgraceful to its opulent and extensive parish, much larger than many cities.

The church of Tybourn, or Marybourn, was appropriated to the priory of St. Lawrence de Blakemore, in Essex, by William de Sancta Maria, bishop of London, in the reign of king John. On the suppression of the priory, Henry VIII. gave this rectory to cardinal Wolsey, with licence to appropriate it to the dean and canons of Christchurch; who, at his request, granted it to the master and scholars of his college at Ipswich. The king, however, after the cardinal's disgrace, seized the whole as his property, and it continued in the crown till the year 1552. It seems that the rectory is still an impropriation, and the benefice a donative, the present rector being the duke of Portland, who nominates a curate, licensed by the bishop of London *.

Within the cemetery were buried the following eminent characters: Mr. Humphrey Wanley, librarian to Robert and Edward, earls of Oxford. Dr. Abbadie. John Vanderbank, Esq. painter. James Gibbs, Esq. architect. Archibald Bower, Esq. author of a history of the popes, &c. John Michael Rysbrack, Esq. statuary. William Guthrie, Esq. the historian. Mr. Ferguson, the astronomer.

In the year 1511, the curate's stipend was only thirteen shillings per annum, paid by the lessee under Blakemore priory. In 1650, the impropriation was valued at 801. per annum; the curate then received an annual allowance of 151.; at that time the whole of his emoluments could be scarcely double. The increase of building and population in this district has made the living, in the present day, very valuable. It has been held by two succeeding deans, Dr. JOHN HARLEY, dean of Windsor, afterwards bishop of Hereford; and Sir RICHARD KAYE, bart. dean of Lincoln, the present curate.

Stephen

Stephen Rion, Esq. author of some excellent works on architecture. Allan Ramsay, Esq. painter. The reverend Charles Wesley. Baretti. John Dominick Serres, the marine painter, &c. In the registers are numerous entries of the births, marriages, and burials of the nobility, and their various connexions."

Extra

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There are several chapels of ease belonging to this parish, each more than twice as large as the mother church; of these, Oxford chapel was built about 1739; Portland chapel, 1766; Bentinck chapel, 1772; Portman chapel, 1779; Quebec chapel, 1788; Margaret Street chapel, first used as a chapel of ease, in 1789, &c. Opposite the church stood the antient MANOR HOUSE, Plates. pulled down in 1791; behind this mansion "was a tavern and bowling green, much frequented by persons of rank during the reign of queen Anne; but grew afterwards into such disrepute that Gay, in his Beggar's Opera, made it one of the scenes of Mackheath's debauches." * The gardens were opened for public breakfasts, and other entertainments, about the year 1740, and continued to be a place of public resort, under the name of MARYBONE GARDENS, similar to the present Vauxhall, till the year 1777, when the whole was let, and the site since occupied Pales by the stately houses of DEVONSHIRE PLACE.

1

We return to Oxford Street, through MARYBONE Lane, near the south end of which is STRATFORD PLACE, a hand

Mr. Pennant informs us, that John, duke of Buckingham, was a constant visitor at this place of assemblage for all the infamous sharpers of the time. His grace always gave them a dinner at the conclusion of the season, and his parting toast was, " May as many of us as remain unhanged next spring, meet here again." "I remember," continues he, "the facetious Quin telling this story at Bath, within the hearing of the late lord Chesterfield, when his lordship was surrounded by a croud of worthies of the same stamp with the above." Lady Mary Wortley (Montague) alludes to the amusement in this line:

"Some dukes at Marybone bowl time away."

antiently there was a park at Marybone; for I find that in queen Elizabeth's time the Russian ambassadors were entertained with hunting within its pale. London. 113.

VOL. IV. No. 92.

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some pile of buildings in the form of a battledore. In the centre of the circular part the late general Strode, a few years since, crected a pillar to commemorate the naval victories of this country; the foundation, however, having given way, the whole was taken down about the year 1805. Nearly facing these buildings is ST. GEORGE'S MARKET, a recent undertaking; it is amply supplied with provisions, and well frequented.

NEW BOND STREET, although an act of parliament was procured to remove the stand of coaches, and it is esteemed an avenue of fashionable resort, has nothing peculiar to recommend it. The cominunications from it to the several squares, and its length, are all which it has to boast of; the shops are far from being of the first rate, and the houses have no claim to any great degree of elegance.

LOWER BROOK STREET, and LOWER GROSVENOR STREET, are very stately and handsome streets to Grosvenor Square, and contain several mansions of the nobility.

In CONDUIT STREET is TRINITY CHAPEL, to which is attached the following history: "It was originally built of wood by order of James II. for private mass, and was conveyed on wheels, attendant on its royal master's excursions, or when he attended his army. Among other places it visited Hounslow Heath, where it continued some time after the Revolution. It was then removed, and enlarged by the rector of the parish of St. Martin's, and placed not far from the spot on which it now stands. Dr. Tennison, when

rector of St. Martin's, got permission from William III. to rebuild it so after it had made as many journies as the house of Loretto, it was by Tennison transmuted into a good building of brick, and has rested ever since on the present site. All parochial dutics have been performed from that time without intermission; and it continued annexed to the parish of St. Martin's, which sold it some years ago to Mr. James Robson, a bookseller in Bond Street; he modernized the building with a new front, and fitted up the inside with great neatness and propriety."

* Pennant.

We

We believe, however, that the parish of St. Martin's still maintains its parochial jurisdiction here.

On the east side of GEORGE STREET is situated the parish church of

ST. GEORGE, HANOVER SQUARE.

i

THIS parish was taken from St. Martin's in the Fields, and the present church finished in 1724. It is built of stone, the roof covered with lead, and arched over each of the three aisles; the interior is supported by eight pillars of the Corinthian order, raised upon pedestals; a band of ornamented scroll work extends from column to column, the intermediate spaces filled with sunk pannels; the side aisles are similar. There are four galleries, one on the north and south sides, and two at the west end; the upper one is adapted for the charity schools of this parish, in the centre of which is a large and elegant organ; the pulpit is likewise very handsome. The church is pewed with oak, and wainscoted eight feet high, with the same kind of timber; it is paved with Purbeck stone, and the altar, which is three steps higher than the body of the building, with marble; the altar is adorn with four pillars, raised upon pedestals, of the Corinthian order, of oak fluted, and some

elegant carving; in the intercolumns is a fine painting (supposed by Sir James Thornhill). Over the altar is a large window of white rough glass, supported by four Corinthian columns, coupled. The building is in length about seventy-five feet, sixty in breadth, and about forty high over the nave.

The west front is very noble, being supported by six pillars, of the Corinthian order, an entablature, and handsome pediment, on the apex of which is a base, which seems as if it was originally intended to support a statue, and behind the columns pilasters to support the architrave; the cornice of the entablature extends round the north side, and east end, which is wrought in bold rustic; the south side being almost hid, is quite plain *. The steeple, though it possesses few ornaments, is noble and majestic; it consists of a tower, which rises from the roof, and contains a clock; the steeple that arises from this tower is of an octagon shape, having coupled columns at the four sides, of the Corinthian order, and large windows at the four fronts; on the top of the entablature, above the columns, are vases coupled, and from the top of the entablature rises an elegant dome, and a small turret, surmounted by a ball and vane, of copper gilt, about one hundred feet high. There are no monuments, the burying ground being on the Oxford road.

This parish at first consisted of two out-wards, of that of St. Martin's in the Fields; but it has now four wards, named Conduit Street, Grosvenor Street, Dover Street, and the Out ward.

It is a rectory, the advowson of which is settled upon the bishop of London and his successors. The profits arising to the rector amount to a considerable sum per annum. Lieu

The portico is inferior in majesty to that of St. Martin's in the Fields, but is superior to every other. An accurate examination and measurement of these two porticos, would be an advantageous study for a young architect; and geometrical drawings, placing their dimensions and proportions in a comparative view, be a valuable addition to his library-Malton's Picturesque Tour. 106.

tenant.